New Hampton, Gladbrook-Reinbeck end on top

CEDAR RAPIDS - And the winners are New Hampton and Gladbrook-Reinbeck.

Obviously, it remains to be seen if those teams go on to claim boys' basketball state championships. But they do finish the regular season sitting atop their respective classes in the final Gazette poll.

New Hampton (20-1) is number one in 2A with a 20-1 record, the lone loss to Waverly-Shell Rock, which the Chickasaws avented. They take a 19-game win streak into their 2A district opener Thursday night against either North Fayette Valley or South Winneshiek.

Defending state champion Western Christian (19-2) is ranked second in 2A, followed by Monticello (19-2), IKM-Manning (20-1) and Aplington-Parkersburg (21-1). Cascade (19-2) is sixth.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck further cemented its top ranking in 1A by handing A-P its first loss of the season last week. The Rebels are 21-0.

Maple Valley/Anthon-Oto (20-1) comes in at number two, followed by Danville (21-0), Ar-We-Va (21-0) and Boyden-Hull (17-4).

There will be one final poll for the largest two classes next week. This week's numbers one are Iowa City West in 4A and Waverly-Shell Rock in 3A.

West struggled to beat rival Iowa City High last Friday night and has a very tough regular-season opener Saturday at home against Minneapolis DeLaSalle, which is 18-3 and considered one of the top teams in Minnesota.

Waverly (18-2) was number one in 3A before dropping a pair of games a couple of weeks ago. The Go-Hawks re-assume the top spot in a topsy turvy class, followed by Fort Madison (18-2), Dubuque Wahlert (12-7), Williamsburg (18-1) and MOC/Floyd Valley (18-3).

Wahlert lost handily last week to West but regained the services of Iowa Hawkeyes recruit Cordell Pemsl (out with a knee injury) in a win over Dubuque Senior last Friday night. Linn-Mar (15-4), which was upset last week by Cedar Rapids Xavier, dropped from sixth to eighth in 4A, with Cedar Rapids Kennedy (14-5) joining the top 10 at number 10.

Here are the entire rankings, with last week's ranking in parentheses:

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CLASS 4A

1. Iowa City West 19-0 (1)

2. Pleasant Valley 19-0 (2)

3. North Scott 16-3 (5)

4. Des Moines Hoover 17-1 (3)

5. Urbandale 16-4 (7)

6. Ankeny Centennial 17-3 (4)

7. Waukee 15-5 (8)

8. Linn-Mar 15-4 (6)

9. Ames 14-5 (9)

10. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 14-5 (NR)

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CLASS 3A

1. Waverly-Shell Rock 18-2 (2)

2. Fort Madison 18-2 (6)

3. Dubuque Wahlert 12-7 (1)

4. Williamsburg 18-1 (4)

5. MOC/Floyd Valley 18-3 (5)

6. Pella 17-2 (7)

7. LeMars 17-3 (8)

8. Spirit Lake 17-3 (3)

9. Keokuk 16-3 (NR)

10. Davenport Assumption 14-5 (NR)

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CLASS 2A

1. New Hampton 20-1 (1)

2. Western Christian 19-2 (2)

3. Monticello 19-2 (3)

4. IKM-Manning 20-1 (5)

5. Aplington-Parkersburg 21-1 (3)

6. Cascade 19-2 (6)

7. Forest City 20-2 (8)

8. West Fork 18-3 (9)

9. Treynor 18-3 (7)

10. Central Decatur 20-2 (NR)

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CLASS 1A

1. Gladbrook-Reinbeck 21-0 (1)

2. Maple Valley/Anthon-Oto 20-1 (3)

3. Danville 21-0 (2)

4. Ar-We-Va 21-0 (5)

5. Boyden-Hull 17-4 (4)

6. Central Lyon 17-4 (7)

7. LeMars Gehlen 19-2 (6)

8. Colo-NESCO 20-1 (8)

9. Meskwaki Settlement School 17-2 (9)

10. Belle Plaine 20-1 (NR)

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com